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Legio Invigilata
The Legio Invigilata ("Emperor's Guard") is a Loyalist Titan Legion of the Collegia Titanica, one of the military arms of the Adeptus Mechanicus. The Emperor's Guard hail from the Forge World of Voss Prime, located in the Segmentum Solar. This is the Forge World closest to the Armageddon System. There is very little information in Imperial records about this Titan Legion's founding, though it is believed that they were founded before the Age of the Imperium, during the Age of Strife. The Legion's home Forge World's knowledge of Plasma Reactor technology is noted to have deteriorated over the millennia, though it is unknown how this development has affected its war machines' combat readiness. Legion History ]] Notable Campaigns *'Third War for Armageddon (998.M41)' - Ork Warlord Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka launched a second and even more massive Ork WAAAGH! to conquer the Imperial world of Armageddon in 998.M41. During the Third War for Armageddon the Legio Invigilata deployed its entire strength of nearly sixty Titans in defence of the world, with the majority of its forces supporting the Imperial Guard regiments, the Astartes of the Salamanders Chapter and the Legio Ignatum in the Hemlock region. One third of the Legion marched to aid the Black Templars Space Marine Chapter and the Imperial Guard regiments of the Armageddon Steel Legion in defending Hive Helsreach, partly as a result of the lobbying of the Black Templar Helsreach Crusade's commander, Reclusiarch Grimaldus. The Legio Invigilata fielded 19 Titans at Helsreach, made up of a full complement of Warhound, Reaver, and Warlord Titans, as well as an ''Imperator''-class Titan under the command of Princeps Majoris Zarha Mancion. This force was instrumental in the defence of Hive Helsreach from the Ork assault, and decimated the Gargants that the Greenskins fielded in their attack. However, the Legio Invigilata battlegroup was pledged to the hive city's defence only by its commanding Princeps' will and the promise she had given to Grimaldus, and after Mancion perished at the hands of the massive Ork Gargant Godbreaker, the Legion's second in command, Princeps Amasat, led what remained of the battlegroup out of the city. Amasat wished to join the rest of his Legion at the River Hemlock, but in fact he would return to Helsreach shortly after abandoning it. The Legio Invigilata battlegroup encountered on its way a sacred weapon of the Adeptus Mechanicus -- Oberon, the Ordinatus Armageddon. This great weapon was forcefully reawakened by the Black Templar Master of the Forge Jurisian, who, acting on Grimaldus' orders, was adamant in his resolve to bring it to Helsreach. The Titan crews were shocked by such blasphemy against the Machine God, but faced with the choice of either dislodging the offender and risking that the relic would be damaged in the process, or escorting him to the hive city, they chose the latter. The Ordinatus had been awakened improperly by the Space Marine, and because of this most of its systems -- including its Void Shield generators -- were inactive, and the Nova Cannon that constituted its main armament could only be made to fire once every twenty minutes. Grimaldus ordered Jurisian to not endanger the Ordinatus, and bade him take only one shot with its great weapon once he reached Helsreach, to be aimed at the Godbreaker. Amasat took his God Machine and two Warhound-class Titans to protect the blessed weapon, and set forth to Helsreach once more. When they arrived, Amasat decided that the best way to protect the Ordinatus was to offer it a clear shot at the Ork Gargant. To this end, Amasat ordered the two smaller Titans to protect the weapon and moved to lure the lumbering xeno war machine out. Amasat succeeded in drawing the colossal Gargant to him, although he died in the process. His sacrifice, however, allowed the Ordinatus Armageddon to obliterate the Godbreaker. Their task complete, the Ordinatus and the Titans finally retreated from Helsreach. Although the battle for the hive city for them was over, the remainder of the Legio Invigilata would continue to fight along the Hemlock River and wherever its advance would lead it. Notable Titans *''Stormherald'' - The Stormherald was one of the few ''Imperator''-class Titans in the Legio Invigilata and the war engine of Princeps Majoris Zarha Mancion during the Third War for Armageddon and the Battle of Helreach. The Stormherald 's Machine Spirit was resentful at being bound to its Princeps, and for years of their enforced cooperation it had patiently weakened Mancion's mental resolve, seeking to finally drown her in its mindscape -- an effort only made easier as she aged. The Titan's efforts caused Mancion to not be in complete control of her thoughts, the flood of the Titan's mental gestalt making her undertake brazen actions. At one point during the Battle of Helsreach, the Stormherald nearly succeeded in overthrowing her will -- when the Draconian fell to an Ork trap and was destroyed by the xenos, Zarha Mancion was overcome with anger and foolishly strode ahead of her screens and Skitarii fire support seeking vengeance, only to fall to a similar trap moments later. The damage inflicted by the Greenskins and the shame of defeat caused her to loosen her grip on the recalcitrant Titan's Machine Spirit -- and be very nearly overwhelmed by it. The Titan and its Princeps would have been lost had it not been for the intervention of a Black Templars strike force under the command of the Black Templars Reclusiarch Grimaldus. The Astartes cleansed the God Machine of xenos taint and their Chaplain helped Zarha Mancion emerge from the psychic maelstrom that is a Titan's mental landscape. The Stormherald would continue to participate in the Battle of Helsreach until it was destroyed by the Ork Gargant Godbreaker. *''Bane-Sidhe'' - The Bane-Sidhe was a ''Warlord''-class Titan and war engine of Princeps Amasat during the Third War for Armageddon and the Battle of Helsreach. The Bane-Sidhe escorted the Ordinatus Armageddon to Helsreach so that it could be used to destroy the massive Ork Gargant Godbreaker. Near the Temple of the Emperor Ascendant Princeps Amasat decided to lure the colossal xenos Titan out, and although he succeeded, he and his Titan were destroyed in the process. Although it may seem ignominous that such an exalted God Machine met its end as bait, within the Legio Invigilata 's records, the war engine and its crew are regarded with the highest reverence. The Titan's wreck itself would be recovered in the following weeks, and the war engine would be restored to full operational capacity in fourteen months. Its destruction at Helsreach was marked upon its carapace with a six-metre square engraved upon its right shin, depicting a weeping angel over a burning, metallic skeleton. *''Draconian'' - The Draconian was a ''Reaver''-class Titan and war engine of Princeps Jacen Veragon during the Third War for Armageddon and the Battle of Helsreach. It was the first Legio Invigilata Titan to be destroyed at Helsreach by the Greenskins when it was brought down by a crude but effective Ork trap, and then stormed by the xenos who slaughtered its crew. *''Bound In Blood'' - The Bound In Blood was a Reaver-class Titan that participated in the Third War for Armageddon and the Battle of Helsreach. The Bound in Blood formed part of the Stormherald 's screen, and was destroyed during the Battle of Helsreach by fire from multiple Ork Gargants. *''Danol's Retribution'' - Danol's Retribution is a Reaver-class Titan that participated in the Third War for Armageddon and the Battle of Helsreach, forming part of the Stormherald 's screen. The Princeps of the Danol's Retribution, along with that of The Ghoul, were noted to possess Honour Banners that would put a Princeps of their rank from any other Titan Legion to shame. *''The Ghoul ''- The Ghoul was a Reaver-class Titan that participated in the Third War for Armageddon and the Battle of Helsreach and formed part of the Stormherald 's protective screen. The Princeps of The Ghoul along with that of the Danol's Retribution, were noted to possess Honour Banners that would put a Princeps of their rank from any other Titan Legion to shame. The Ghoul was ultimately destroyed by the Ork Gargant Godbreaker, lasting less than a minute against it. *''Talisman'' - The Talisman is a ''Warhound''-class Titan that participated in the Third War for Armageddon and the Battle of Helsreach. It, along with the Bane-Sidhe and the Hallowed Verity escorted the Ordinatus Armageddon so that it could destroy the Godbreaker. *''Hallowed Verity'' - The Hallowed Verity is a Warhound-class Titan that participated in the Third War for Armageddon and the Battle of Helsreach. It, along with the Bane-Sidhe and the Talisman escorted the Ordinatus Armageddon to the city so that it could destroy the Godbreaker. *''Ironsworn'' - The Ironsworn was a Warlord-class Titan that participated in the Third War for Armageddon and the Battle of Helsreach. The Ironsworn was destroyed in a trap similar to that which the Draconian fell to when it was retreating from the hive city following Princeps Majoris Mancion's death. *''Regal'' - The Regal was a Warhound-class Titan and war engine of Princeps Feerna during the Third War for Armageddon. The Regal was the first Imperial Titan to fall to the awesome firepower of the Ork Gargant Godbreaker. *''Ivory Fang'' - The Ivory Fang was a Warhound-class Titan and war engine of Princeps Haven Havelock during the Third War for Armageddon. The Ivory Fang was destroyed by the Ork Gargant Godbreaker while attempting to avenge the Regal. *''Sacrosanct'' - The Sacrosanct is a Warlord-class Titan that participated in the Third War for Armageddon and the Battle of Helsreach. *''Executor'' - The Executor is a Warhound-class Titan that participated in the Third War for Armageddon and the Battle of Helsreach. *''Emperor's Shield ''- The Emperor's Shield is a Warhound-class Titan that participated in the Laiden Offensive. The Emperor's Shield achieved the highest kill-ratio of any Imperial Titan during the campaign. Its most notable kill included the Chaos Reaver-class Titan, the Butcher's Mirth. Notable Personnel *'Zarha Mancion' - Princeps Majoris of the Stormherald and overall commander of the Legio Invigilata battlegroup that fought in the Battle of Helsreach and comprised a third of the Titan Legion's strength. Mancion was suspended in an amniotic tank that connected her permanently to her Titan's Machine Spirit. At the beginning of the Third War for Armageddon Mancion was still unsure whether her forces would defend Helsreach or if they would be joining the rest of the Legion in the Hemlock region, although she was eventually convinced by the Black Templars Reclusiarch Grimaldus to do the former. The Stormherald 's Machine Spirit was resentful at being bound to its Princeps, and for years of their enforced cooperation it had patiently weakened Mancion's mental resolve, seeking to finally drown her in its mindscape -- an effort only made easier as she aged. The Titan's work was causing Mancion to not be in complete control of her thoughts, and the flood of the Titan's mental gestalt led her to undertake brazen and tactically unwise actions. At one point during the Battle of Helsreach, the Stormherald nearly succeeded in overthrowing her will -- when the Draconian fell to an Ork trap and was destroyed by the xenos, Zarha Mancion was overcome with anger and foolishly strode ahead of her screens and Skitarii fire support seeking vengeance, only to fall to a similar trap moments later. The damage inflicted by the Greenskins and the shame of defeat caused her to loosen her grip on the recalcitrant Machine Spirit of her Titan -- and be very nearly overwhelmed by it. The Titan and its Princeps would have been lost had it not been for the intervention of a Black Templars strike force under the command of Reclusiarch Grimaldus. The Astartes cleansed the God Machine of xenos taint and their Chaplain helped Zarha Mancion emerge from the psychic maelstrom that is a Titan's mental landscape. She would continue to fight, although her grip on the Titan and on reality itself had been weakened. She became reckless, and the Machine Spirit's savagery became more apparent in her actions. Zarha Mancion would ultimately die in battle against the colossal Ork Mega Gargant known as the Godbreaker. In the later stage of the fight, Mancion, because of the damage inflicted upon the Titan and the resulting psychosomatic pain and wounds, was nearly completely useless, and the war engine was operated by her Moderati, Lonn and Valian Carsomir. Despite their efforts, however, the Godbreaker succeeded in destroying the Stormherald. *'Valian Carsomir' - Moderati Primus of the Imperator-class Titan Stormherald and Princeps Majoris Zarha Mancion's representative to the Imperial command structure for the Legio Invigiliata battlegroup she commanded during the Third War for Armageddon. During the fight with the Mega Gargant Godbreaker, Carsomir decided to fire the Plasma Annihilator as soon as it recharged against Moderatus Lonn's advice, without waiting for the Titan's Tech-adepts to bring the weapon's stabilisers back on line. Because of this, the barrel trailed off-target under the force of its shot, and the searing projectile it spewed out missed the giant xenos walker -- thus sealing the Stormherald 's fate. Carsomir realised that there was no escape, and closed his eyes waiting for death. However, he was shot through the head instead by Lonn, who killed him for dooming the Titan with his foolishness. *'Lonn' - Moderati Secundus of the Imperator-class Titan Stormherald. Lonn killed Valian Carsomir after the latter had doomed the God Machine to destruction by the Godbreaker. Lonn miraculously survived the Stormherald's destruction, only to be killed seconds later by Orks as they swarmed the downed Titan to loot it. *'Amasat' - Amasat was the Princeps of the ''Warlord''-class Titan Bane-Sidhe, heir to Princeps Majoris Zarha Mancion's title and, following her demise, commander of the Legio Invigilata battlegroup she had led. Amasat escorted the Ordinatus Armageddon to Helsreach so that it could be used to destroy the massive Ork Mega Gargant Godbreaker. Near the Temple of the Emperor Ascendant Amasat decided to lure the colossal xenos Titan out, and although he succeeded, he and his Titan were destroyed in the process. Although it may seem ignominous that such an exalted God Machine met its end as a bait, within the Legio Invigilata 's records, the war engine and its crew are regarded with the greatest reverence. *'Asavan Tortellius' - Asavan Tortellius was a priest of the Ecclesiarchy who preached in the massive cathedral dedicated to the Emperor of Mankind in his aspect as the Omnissiah that had been built above the Stormherald 's shoulders. During the Battle of Helsreach, Tortellius realised that he was of no use to the people of the hive city in this unreachable edifice, and decided to abandon the Stormherald. Once on the ground, he joined a unit of city militia led by an Armageddon Steel Legion Storm Trooper that he had encountered, and with it he made way to the Temple of the Emperor Ascendant, one of the last bastions of Imperial control in the city. Tortellius was the only priest who had experience in preaching during battle, and was of great use in comforting the populace enclosed and trapped within the temple. Although he survived the Battle of Helsreach itself, he died two weeks later as a result of a heart attack. *'Jacen Veragon' - Veragon was the Princeps of the ''Reaver''-class Titan Draconian. Veragon was the first of the Legio Invigilata Princeps to be killed during the Battle of Helsreach. He was caught in a crude trap set up by the Orks which brought his Titan down, and allowed the Greenskins to storm the war engine and kill the crew. *'Feerna' - Feerna was the Princeps of the ''Warhound''-class Titan Regal. She was the first of the Legio Invigilata to be killed by Ork Gargant Godbreaker during the Battle of Helsreach. The colossal xenos Titan loomed out of the fiery inferno that was consuming the hive city and caught her by surprise. She never realised what caused her demise. *'Haven Havelock' - Havelock was the Princeps of the Warhound-class Titan Ivory Fang. He accompanied Feerna on a task to investigate a heat signature similar to those of the Ork Gargants in the inferno consuming the hive city, and he was the first to see the colossal Mega Gargant known as the Godbreaker. He had sensed Feerna's death at the hands of this monstrosity, and shortly after he made contact with it he was obliterated by a hail of fire from the Ork walker's many weapons. Legion Appearance Legion Colours The colours of the Legio Invigilata are black, red, white and gold. Legion Badge The Legio Invigilata 's badge is a white Iron Halo icon with a red circlet and a white eye centred within, reminiscent of the ancient symbol known as the "Eye of Terra." Two red lightning bolts protrude from the lower part of the Iron Halo icon, reminiscent of the Emperor's ancient Raptor Imperialis icon used during the Unification Wars. Sources *''Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard & Imperial Navy,'' pg. 8 *''Warhammer 40,000: Apocalypse'' (6th Edition), pg. 327 *''Warhammer 40,000: Apocalypse'' (4th Edition), pg. 125 *''White Dwarf Weekly'' #36 (04 Oct 2014), "Spyral of Destruction," pp. 31-38 *''Helsreach'' (Novel) by Aaron Dembski-Bowden *Third War for Armageddon Worldwide Campaign ES:Legio Invigilata Category:L Category:Adeptus Mechanicus Category:Collegia Titanica Category:Imperial Walkers Category:Imperium Category:Walkers